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Weekly News 17th June 2013
 
National News
National Standards useless say experts

Four years after their introduction, the National Standards judgements are still of little use for comparing schools, says Professor Martin Thrupp from the University of Waikato’s Faculty of Education. Read more...

More National News
Gathering storm surrounds cloud computing
Education, legal and IT industry experts met in Wellington to discuss the implications of protecting student data as schools increasingly move towards the use of outsourced cloud computing. Read more...
Teen brain digitally revealed
If ever there’s a time for youngsters to understand what’s happening to their brain during puberty, it’s now, says the founder of Life Education, Trevor Grice. Read more...
Schools can win surf pop star
Earlybirds who book their Beach Education courses before September 1 will be in with a chance to win a school visit from singer-songwriter and Surf Life Saving New Zealand ambassador Jamie McDell. Read more...
Health nurses for all low decile schools
Green Party policy proposing public health nurses in all Decile One to Three primary and intermediate schools is a step toward making sure our children are healthy and ready to learn, says NZEI Te Riu Roa President Judith Nowotarski. Read more...
Cash rewards for snappy environmentalists
Canon has added an additional award this year for its annual Environmental Grants Program, opening applications up to tertiary, as well as school, regional and grassroots organisations. Read more...
Asian universities set to dominate global rankings
Asian universities have gained significant ground on their Western counterparts and could overtake them within two decades, say the compilers of QS University Rankings: Asia. Read more...
More National News
Kiwis still worship at rugby’s altar
Kiwi wins $10,000 book award
No doom and gloom over Maori speakers challenge
Gifted Awareness Week
 
 
Regional News
Private ownership warning on new supersize school
Government plans to allow private companies to build and own the new supersize Aranui school development could severely compromise the concept of it as a community campus, warns NZEI Te Riu Roa. Read more...
More Regional News
Earthquake hangover raises tempers in workplace
 
Regular Features
Annie's War on Stains for Teachers
Deodorising the cat's litter tray without putting the cat off using it. Read more...
From Debbie's Catering Kitchen:
Quick and Easy Bulk Recipes for the Tuck Shop/Canteen and Cake Stall. Read more...
Wine Review
Saint Clair 2012 Marlborough Premium Pinot Noir. Read more...
   
Pick of the Month

The Secret Life Of James Cook by Graeme Lay

The first thing that readers need to know about this book is that even though it is on a very famous historical figure, this is an imaginative fictional novel. In actual fact, little is known about Captain James Cook's private life, and this has not been helped by his wife burning his letters before she died. Read more...
School Library Books:
.
- The Importance Of Green by Leonie Agnew with illustrations by Trevor Pye
- Loki's Wolves: The Blackwell Pages by K L Armstrong and M A Marr
- Bodyguard: Hostage by Chris Bradford
- The Chronicles Of Egg: New Lands by Geoff Rodkey
- Dork Diaries: Holiday Heartbreak by Rachel Renee Russell
- The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey
- W.A.R.P: The Reluctant Assassin by Eoin Colfer
 
Fiction Reading For Adults:
.
- The Secret Life Of James Cook by Graeme Lay
- A Delicate Truth by John Le Carre
 
Non Fiction and Reference Books:
.
- Child's Play: Montessori Games and Activities for your Baby and Toddler by Maja Pitamic with expert contributions by Dr Clare McCarthy
- Why Can't Kiwis Fly? And 181 other curious questions about New Zealand's natural history by Gerard Hutching
- Discovering New Zealand Birds by Sandra Morris
   
 
 
2013 school terms and holidays

2013 school term dates for state and state-integrated primary, intermediate, secondary and composite schools.

See the Other holidays section below for more information on school holidays, public holidays and Anniversary Day holidays.

Primary and intermediate schools
 Primary and intermediate schools
Term Start date End date
2 Monday 6 May Friday 12 July
(98 half-days)
3 Monday 29 July Friday 27 September
Monday 14 October No later than Friday 20 December
(98 half-days)*
* Or to a day in December which ensures that the school has been open for instruction for 384 half-days in 2013.
 
  Secondary and composite schools
Term Start date End date
2 Monday 6 May Friday 12 July
(98 half-days)
Monday 29 July Friday 27 September
(90 half-days)
4 Monday 14 October Wednesday 18 December
(94 half-days)*
* Or to a day in December which ensures that the school has been open for instruction for 380 half-days in 2013.
 
 Other holidays
Section 65C of the Education Act 1989 states that every board shall ensure that all schools it administers are closed on Saturdays, Sundays and on the following days:
  • New Year's Day
  • 2 January
  • Waitangi Day
  • Good Friday
  • Easter Monday
  • Easter Tuesday
  • Anzac Day
  • the Sovereign's birthday
  • Labour Day
  • Christmas Day
  • Boxing Day
  • and the day observed in the locality in which the school is situated as anniversary day.
New Zealand public holiday dates 2013
  Actual Date 2013
New Year's Day 1 January Tuesday 1 January
Day after New Year's Day 2 January Wednesday 2 January
Waitangi Day 6 February Wednesday 6 February
Good Friday varies Friday 29 March
Easter Monday varies Monday 1 April
ANZAC Day 25 April Thursday 25 April
Queen's Birthday 1st Monday in June Monday 3 June
Labour Day 4th Monday in October Monday 28 October
Christmas Day 25 December Wednesday 25 December
Boxing Day 26 December Thursday 26 December
  
 Anniversary Day holidays 2013
 Province  Actual day  Date observed in 2012
Auckland 29 January Monday 28 January

Taranaki

31 March

Monday 11 March

Hawkes' Bay

1 November

Friday 25 October

Wellington

22 January

Monday 21 January

Marlborough

1 November

Monday 4 November

Nelson

1 February

Monday 4 February

Canterbury

16 December

Friday 15 November

Canterbury (South)

16 December

Monday 23 September

Westland

1 December

Monday 2 December

Otago

23 March

Monday 25 March

Southland

17 January

Monday 14 January

Chatham Islands

30 November

Monday 2 December

Provincial Anniversary Days are generally observed on the Monday nearest to the actual day.

Provinces relate to the former Provinces of 19th Century New Zealand and are not related to or determined by present-day Districts or Regions.

National Standards devalue true worth of education Posted 17th June 2013
The release of the (National Standards) data again demonstrates the Government is largely bankrupt in terms of creative and innovative approaches to solving issues of educational inequality, says Associate Prof Peter O’Connor. Read more and have your say…
June/July Issue
Students not confident engaging with Asians

Most New Zealand secondary school students recognise the importance of Asia - but feel under-prepared to engage confidently with the region, new research from the Asia New Zealand Foundation has found.  Read more...

Literacy and Language
Movie subtitles boost literacy levels

Potentially at-risk children from the some of the lowest decile schools in the country have benefitted from University of Canterbury (UC) research that has had them watching popular movies with English subtitles.
Read more...
Lifestyle
Teenagers – they’re a dozy lot

Don’t beat yourself up if students sometimes nod off during your class. It’s probably not your fault.  Read more...
Science
Study looks at hearing loss on quality of life

The University of Canterbury (UC) is looking into the impacts of the quality of life of New Zealanders who have a hearing impairment.  Read more...
History
Student’s poster wins Operation Anzac Spirit

A poster showing a soldier’s grave has won 11-year-old Sam Sutcliffe, of Kerikeri, first prize in Operation Anzac Spirit, a competition run by the New Zealand Defence Force as part of Anzac Day. Read more...
Info tech
Ipad speaks for autistic children

Research by Victoria University PhD education graduate Larah van der Meer highlights the importance of understanding the communication preferences of children with developmental disabilities such as autism. Read more...
The Arts
New Zealand’s biggest music event

It’s music awards time again and nominations for the nation’s biggest music event of the year have opened. Read more...
Awards
Proud teens win Tall Ship challenge

Two young women have led Whangarei’s first independent school, Huanui College, to victory in the annual Tai Tokerau Tall Ship Challenge. Read more...
 
More Magazine Headlines
Shakespeare slays Mr Tickle in education stoush
Oscar winner directs trench war experience
Smartphones invade high schools
Kindergarten garden is blessed
Homecoming Kiwi talent battles re-entry shock
Ban on social media a dealbreaker
Animation raises awareness of child poverty
Scott exhibition wins international award
 
 

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